Court Battles

Holder: Supreme Court gerrymandering decision ‘tears at the fabric of our democracy’

Former Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday slammed the Supreme Court’s decision that political partisan gerrymandering cases present a question that courts cannot decide.

“With partisan gerrymandering decision (plus Citizens United/Shelby) Roberts Court has entered a new political Lochner era,” Holder, who now chairs the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, tweeted.

{mosads}”This decision tears at the fabric of our democracy and puts the interests of the established few above the many. History will not be kind in its assessment.”

“Let me be very clear. In spite of the troubling Supreme Court gerrymandering ruling we continue to fight. We still have both more tools and the strong will to bring fairness to our democracy. We need concerned citizens to join us. Nothing worth having comes easy. We can do this.”

The court’s 5-4 decision, along ideological lines, essentially means that federal courts can’t challenge partisan gerrymandering.

The ruling was made in response to cases presented over district maps in Maryland and North Carolina, alleged to be instances of unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders.